The system as per subject can be validly employed in the sector of display units and the refrigerated, neutral, warm counters destined to both the retail sale of foodstuff and jewellery, toys, etc., etc.
The counters and display units for selling foodstuff or non-food products are always equipped with glass or plastic plates. The function of the latter is that of isolating the food contained into them from the external environment and/or that of avoiding that customers may touch the displayed goods. The plates are hinged in different ways to a lower frame or to an upper frame sustained by posts.
The opening systems based on the upper frame, though valid, are affected by some problems. First of all, to support the plates, it is necessary to have profiled bars with relevant section so as to avoid twisting and deformation of the frame itself. This entails two consequences: a higher cost of production of the counters and display units and a lower quality of the display and of the visibility of the goods on sale. Furthermore, the employed gas-actioned pistons are often subject to wear in time, with a subsequent danger of collapse for the plates from their maximum opening position. Apart from these anomalies, there is however the constant possibility for operators to get head injuries when the plates are lifted up.
In the systems with downward openings each plate is hinged to the lower frame. Its movement is made easier since at least one side always remains attached to the display or the glass and thus the physical strain is decreased. But even this solution cannot solve all the problems for operators either. With the downward opening of large crystals it is actually needed to support them manually while cleaning and placing/replacing operations of goods are carried out so to avoid the breakage of hinges. The strain for operators is thus doubled: on one hand the efforts of holding the plates, on the other that of being incapable of moving along the display as the latter is mostly occupied by the lifted plates.
The present invention provides a system with a sliding movement of plates that resolve the previously mentioned problems.
This and other purposes are achieved by this claimed system based on a circular translation movement of plates for counters and display units, which entails a longitudinal sliding of glass or plastic plates, independently from their number, along the customer""s side. Simultaneously with the sliding, there is a rotation of each plate as clarified later on.
Each plate is attached to a first bar. Such first bar is then hinged to two supporting arms through pivots and each supporting arm is hinged to a lower bearing bar, attached to the display or glass by means of two further pivots. The two supporting arms are parallel and the pivots insist on close to their ends.
An elastic device is connected to one of the two supporting arms of each plate. The device is hinged to the supporting arm itself and to the bearing lower bar of the counter or display by two pivots.
Each plate can be slid to the right or the left (for an observer standing in front of the display on the customer""s side) according to the orientation of the supporting arms. Consequently the way in which the various plates open themselves depends only on the user""s requirements and/or the space available in the location that is going to lodge the display or the glass.
The bearing lower bar has a shaped section so as to be able to lodge internally the supporting bars, the bars which the plate-holding clamps and the elastic devices are attached to. Also the supporting arms house the elastic devices so as to allow for a complete folding of all the moving elements in a narrow space when they are in a rest position. To allow for the above mentioned total folding, some housings suitable for lodging some of the above mentioned pivots are created in the bars which the plate-holding clamps are attached to. To avoid that, for accidental reasons, the plates move away from the display or the glass when they are at rest, the bearing lower bar is equipped with a magnetic washer acting on the bars fixed to the clamps of the plates.
The two supporting arms in co-operation with each bar capable of holding a plate and the lower bearing bar make up a parallelogram-like moving system. The plate, throughout and at the end of its opening movement, has the same vertical slant that it takes when at rest. Each plate, at the end of the run, places itself on one side of its resting position, always close to the counter or display unit though detached from it for as much as it is necessary to overlap the nearby plate for at least two thirds. With this movement the plate leaves a free space in the counter or display unit having a length that corresponds to that of the two superimposed plates and therefore equal to two thirds of the length of the plate itself.
The opening system of the plates in question is alternative to the upwardly lifting systems of plates as well as to the traditional ones that have a simple downward rotation of the plates themselves.
Each plate, which perfectly matches with the one at its side when at rest, can be opened independently. When the plates have to be operated at least one of them is moved away from the counter or display unit and is turned to the right or to the left. The weight of the plate discharges itself on the lower bearing plate, as in the traditional downward opening systems but the presence of the foreseen supporting arms avoids the necessity of holding it. This allows not only to reduce the strain for operators but also to give them a higher safety degree, as no longer there are lifted weights that might suddenly drop or the possibility of bumping the head against the edges of the upwardly lifted plates. Actually the installed elastic devices are used only to ease the opening of plates and not as a safety brake for a sudden collapse or closure of themselves. Moreover, the advantages for operators are remarkable since the plates do not obstacle during such operations. The cleaning of counters and display units is easy, since by opening the plates one after another, every corner can be reached.
The claimed moving system enables to manufacture counters or display units with the upper part free from any bar or bearing element, thereby giving a greater visibility to the product on sale. But obviously nothing prevents from placing some upper posts at the back to support the intermediate shelves on the counters or display units or as a support for an additional lighting different from the natural one.
The special orientation of the supporting bars for moving the plates into the lower bearing bar obstacle their view by the customers. At the same time it allows for an easy fitting, with a remarkable reduction of costs. Another diminution of costs can be obtained by using lighter bearing frames since, being all the mechanics housed into the lower part of the display or glass, the torsion forces are extremely reduced with respect to the systems using upward opening systems.